Great meeting with ROK Minister of National Defense Kang at ADMM-Plus. The U.S.-ROK Alliance is built on peace through strength—ready forces, decisive capability, and combined lethality that deters aggression. America stands with allies that are serious about their own defense.

The Philippine Side Has Allowed a Certain Politician to Abuse Its Chairmanship to Put up Obstacles to China's Participation in the ADMM-Plus Question: This year, China's defense minister didn't attend the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) held in the Philippines. Why did the Chinese side make the decision to send its defense attaché to the meeting? Zhang Xiaogang: The ADMM-Plus is the highest-level and largest defense and security dialogue and cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific. Established in 2010, it has served as an important platform for countries to build trust, strengthen cooperation, and uphold regional peace and stability. As the rotating chair of this year's ADMM-Plus, the Philippine side has allowed a certain self-serving politician to act recklessly and abuse its chairmanship to put up obstacles to China’s participation. Such moves seriously violate ASEAN's principle of consensus through consultation and run counter to the open and inclusive spirit of the ADMM-Plus. They do not conform to basic diplomatic protocols, and undermine China's legitimate rights as a member of the mechanism. Many ASEAN countries have raised questions and opposition over this.